His lips thinned to a white line. “So why didn’t you take one of them up on his offer?”
“The kind of playboy I’m looking for owns the train, he doesn’t ride on it.”
“You wouldn’t by any chance have ridden as far as Positano—” He left the sentence hanging in the air.
“Since you know I did, why don’t you just be honest about it and ask me if Cesar and I went shopping for a ring? But then you already know the answer to that question because I wouldn’t be here banging on your door if we were celebrating our engagement.”
“What’s the matter? Wasn’t he home?”
Tired of the sneer in his tone she said, “Oh, he was there all right.”
“And?”
“It was a sobering experience. I’d only gone there to talk to him about you because you gave me permission. He turned on me just like you did and told me to get out!”
“You’re lying.”
“If you don’t believe me, ask Bianca. She dumped my suitcase at my feet, muttering something about how much her poor Luca and her poor Cesar had suffered.
“I ended up having to walk to town from the villa at one o’clock in the morning carrying my suitcase, which was so heavy my arm still aches.” She hoped one little lie wouldn’t make her a horrible person.
“I warned you those rocks might turn out to be a weight around your neck.”
“At least they’re not as heavy as the burden you and Cesar carry in your hearts.”
Luc suddenly got up from the bed, taking away the warmth of his solid frame. “What in blazes are you talking about?”
Talking about Cesar had been a calculated risk on her part.
“Grief. I’m no stranger to it, either. What you need is a little cheering up. How about teaching me how to sail? You could lie on deck to rest your leg and bark out instructions. I’ll do all the work. I’d like to take some good memories back to New York with me. They’re going to have to last a long time.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “You have a sister living in Italy you can visit any time you want.”
“That’s the whole point. Greer needs her space with Max. He doesn’t want to be married to triplets, so Piper and I aren’t planning to descend on her more than once a year.”
“I thought you were on the hunt for a Riviera playboy. A once a year visit’s going to cut down on your window of opportunity.”
“That’s all right. Greer caught hers. One out of three isn’t bad. Besides, I’ve got a new Internet business to run. But I don’t want to think about work while I’m on vacation. It shouldn’t take that long to repair the boat, right?
“However if the thought of being with me sickens you so much, I’ll go to Vernazza and hire someone to take me sailing on the Gabbiano. Since you owe me, I’ll put it on your bill. Now if you don’t mind, I need some sleep, so I would appreciate it if you would turn out the hall light.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
“NIC? Are you awake?”
Luc heard a groaning sound come over the phone line. “I am now. Another emergency must have come up for you to call at six in the morning.”
“Emergency—catastrophe— You name it.”
“I take it we’re talking about Olivia.”
He closed his eyes tightly. “She’s back.”
“As in—”
“As in under my roof, using my shower, sleeping in the bedroom next to mine.” The sight of her in that towel would haunt him forever.
“When did this happen?”